


Don't Look Back

by Mrs_Spooky



Category: Cowboy Bebop
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-05-27
Updated: 2010-05-27
Packaged: 2018-09-19 07:45:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9427529
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mrs_Spooky/pseuds/Mrs_Spooky
Summary: Immediately following Days of Future Passed, the bounty hunters transport an ISSP officer to Mars. (strong language)This story takes place mostly on the Bebop and New Beijing, Mars.





	1. Chapter 1

_The darkened sky was pissing down rain, the dank gloom taking up residence in his soul. The young man watches himself, not even out of his teens, enter the hotel. "Just do it like I told you, you'll be fine" he was told._

_Helpless to intervene, he watches as the teen meets his target at the corner booth in the hotel's bar. Target flashes a toothy grin and invites him upstairs to complete the sale, and perhaps see if there was any fun to be had afterward._

_They climb the steps and enter the target's room. The witness is frantic "NO! STOP! YOU CAN'T!" but he can't be heard. The target bends down to withdraw the cash from his suitcase when the teen creeps up behind him, grabs his head then quickly snaps his neck. There is a sound like celery being broken in half as the target drops like a rock. Stuffing cash in pockets, the teen turns to leave, hands shaking. His unseen witness wails, weeping bitter tears._

_And so it begins…_

_The teenager descends the stairs and exits the hotel to find that the rain had turned to fire. Fire licked around the teen's body, burning with a flame that did not consume. The smell of sulphur and burning flesh fills his nostrils.  The teen smiles._

The unseen silent witness screams.

***

Spike sat up suddenly with a cry, sweating profusely. He ran his hand over his face.

"Hey, you ok?"  
  
"Yeah, fine" he answered shortly. "Sorry, about that."

He flopped back down on his bunk, arm over his eyes. He didn't want to have to face his partner who had appeared in his room at his cry.   _I have to cut this shit out._

He heard Jet sigh, then felt blankets being settled around his neck. "You sure you're ok? You know if you want to talk, I'm always here."  
  
"Arigato yo"

Jet stood there for a moment, then left to return to bed. 

Reaching his quarters, Jet threw himself back into his own bunk. Groaning, he rolled over and closed his eyes, willing himself to sleep.

The alarm signaled time to wake up. Jet had been staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours.   _Well, this night's a wash._  He envied Spike's ability to sleep anywhere under any conditions. 

Yawning, he padded out to the living area with the pot of tea he had brewed and started searching for bounties. Nothing much was coming up until his communicator chimed an incoming call. It was Mike's father, asking if they were still in orbit around Europa. Yes, we are still here, just thinking about setting off.

"I have some things here of Mike's I thought you might want. I know he'd want you and your partner to have them. Can we meet?"  
  
"Sure, let me know when and where."

He checked in on Spike who was still sleeping, his face buried in his pillow. Not wanting to disturb him, Jet headed down to Wexfordshire in his Hammerhead and met John Simmons, Mike's father. Simmons presented Jet with a box that contained books and some knickknacks. There were a few items of Toby's in there that were for Spike to thank him for his help. Simmons thanked him again profusely. "If it wasn't for you and your partner, I don't know what would have happened to our Toby. I think he may settle down now after seeing what can happen when you get involved with the wrong people. We can't thank you enough!" 

Jet thanked him solemnly, wishing things hadn't turned out quite the way they did. He wished him and his family well and took his leave.

Placing the box into the storage compartment on the Hammerhead, Jet heard his name being called.

He turned to see a familiar, short, blonde, middle-aged woman approaching him. It took him a moment to place her, then recognition. "Sarah Dunn! It's been a long time!"

Jet hadn't seen Dunn in years. She was a lieutenant in the organised crime division of the ISSP on Europa. He had worked with her a number of times. She was tough, tougher than she needed to be, he thought. She was an opinionated woman who refused to consider any opinions but her own. They had butted heads on more than one occasion, and he was not exactly delighted to see her now.

She was the sort of woman who didn't so much walk as swagger, which drove Jet insane.   _Arrogant bitch, what does SHE want?_

Dunn was eyeing the Hammerhead with an almost pitying look on her face. She turned her attention to Jet. "What are you doing here? There a bounty in the area?"

Jet forced himself to smile "No, just helping out an old acquaintance. I'm done, so heading out. Have a good one, bye." He moved to climb into the pod when he was stopped by her next words, "You have a ship, don't you? Need some extra cash? I'm looking for passage to Mars."

***

The Hammerhead docked on the Bebop. Dunn only had a small suitcase in her car that they shoved into the storage compartment with the box that Simmons had given him. She offered him the same fare she'd have to pay on public transport. Jet grumbled to himself wondering why she didn't just take public transport. He didn't relish the idea of spending the day and a half it would take to get to Mars with this woman but they needed the money. She had given him a down payment, so Jet picked up some groceries.  At least they could eat on their way.

They exited the Hammerhead in the landing bay, Dunn looking around. She wasn't impressed, but Jet didn't care, it was cash.   _We can deal with this, she'll be gone soon._

Jet carried the box that Simmons had given him into the living area and placed it on the table in front of the couch, groceries went into the refrigerator. Spike was nowhere to be seen, probably still sleeping. Jet led Dunn to an empty sleeping quarters far away from his and Spike's, where she set down her suitcase, then followed him back to the living area.

Dingy, she thought.   _Just like a man, he can live in anything. I'm lucky I found him!  I need the ride, just make the best of it._

"Have a seat. I need to find my partner and let him know we have company. We'll be leaving orbit in a few minutes." With that he strode off.

Dunn pulled out a handkerchief and wiped down the sofa before she sat. _Jet's kept himself up, that's for sure_ , but he still had that mechanical arm and hadn't gotten that scar and bracket on his cheek fixed. She shook her head. Footsteps sounded to her left then stopped. "Hello."

She turned to see a young man in his late teens or early twenties standing there. He had a gash on his cheek and his right arm was in a sling. He looked at her with some surprise.   
  
"I suppose you're Jet's partner."   
  
Smile, "That would be me. And you would be…"  
  
She sighed, "Sarah Dunn. I knew Jet in the ISSP. I'm paying for passage to Mars so I'm going to be here for a while."  
  
"Ok. Well, nice to meet you. Where's Jet?"

Dunn waved vaguely in the direction of the galley, then watched him go. There was something disturbingly familiar about that young man. She knew she'd think of it shortly.

On his way to Spike's quarters, Jet stopped by his own to check his bonsai. They REALLY needed grooming. Maybe this will keep him occupied until they can get rid of Dunn. 

"Yo"  
  
"Hey, Spike! There you are."  
  
"We have a passenger?"  
  
Sigh, "Yeah, I used to know her in the ISSP and she said she needed a ride to Mars. She's paying us commercial transport rates to take her there."  
  
"So why didn't she take commercial transport?"  
  
Jet rubbed his forehead, "Good question. Good luck for us, her down payment bought food for the next few days." Spike grinned at that.  
  
He squeezed past Spike out of his quarters, "We're leaving orbit. She wants to go to New Beijing, going to set the course now."

***

Jet guided the Bebop out of Europa's orbit towards the gate that would take them swiftly to Mars. They can drop off Dunn then it's back to the asteroid belt. Hopefully they will be able to repeat the luck they had there earlier.

Dunn spent the time watching Spike. She had seen his face before and was trying to place it. Spike noticed but decided to ignore her, going through the contents of he box Jet brought back from Europa. There were a number of books, mostly classic Earth literature and biographies. Jet will love those, Spike was interested as well. There were some well made plastic figurines of cartoon characters that were very popular with kids, very in demand. Spike was highly interested in these. He was examining one of them when Jet returned from the bridge.

"Those are for you from Toby. I guess that's his way of saying 'thanks,'" Jet said with a smile. 

Spike looked up at him in surprise, then back at the figurines, touched. He smiled and shook his head, "He shouldn't have done that. These things are very hard to find and expensive as hell.  Limited edition!" He set them carefully on the table, admiring them with a growing affection for the boy who parted with them.

Dunn snorted "You can always sell the things. I'm sure you could get good money for them and there's bound to be some little boy out there who would want them. Or are YOU still playing with toys?"

The bounty hunters stared at their guest. Jet looked at the floor as Spike gathered up his treasures with a scowl and excused himself.

Once he was gone, Jet glared at Dunn. He told her about their helping an acquaintance's brother, then the death of that acquaintance. The family gave them the box in thanks, and the gesture was highly appreciated by them both. She returned his gaze impassively, her words dripping with condescension, "You guys are bounty hunters. It's a hand to mouth existence, you need to be able to earn money whenever and wherever you can, right? Your partner said himself that the figurines were valuable. They're income. What, you disagree? OK, so let the little boy keep his toys. Just remember that when you're out of fuel and have no money to buy more."

Jet made a disgusted sound and stomped out, fists clenched. He didn't trust himself with this woman and wondered if they really needed her money.

Sarah Dunn sat for a long time by herself, the only sound she heard was the background rumble of the Bebop's engines as they hurtled through hyperspace towards her destination on Mars. She shrugged off their reaction to the comments she offered that were nothing but practical.   _Shit, they could starve for lack of bounties and they're going to get sentimental over a box full of books and toys?_  She was still bothered by Jet's partner. She prided herself on never forgetting a face, but this one was escaping her. She pondered.

Left to her own devices, Dunn contemplated what she needed to do once she was dropped off in New Beijing. and was satisfied that everything was arranged. The sounds emanating from the galley and the smell of food cooking wormed their way into her awareness.   _Young... thin faced... green hair... Japanese..._  She jumped to her feet, suddenly realising where she had seen him before. She caught her breath in sudden excitement and terror. She looked around and was reassured that she was alone and unobserved. Did Jet know?

She went off in search of the galley to question the ex ISSP detective.


	2. Chapter 2

Jet was fuming. The woman is callous, no respect for anyone or their feelings. "Rude" was the kindest word Jet could think of to describe this woman.

He had chopped up the vegetables and meat for dinner and prepared the spices and set the rice to boil. He and Spike had a favorite dish that they shared when funds allowed, and after the events in Wexfordshire, he was determined that they would partake of what had become their favorite comfort food. Portions would be smaller than normal now with a third person on board but he knew Spike would understand. His partner was on the bridge practicing his martial arts as best he could with a wounded arm. Dinner should be ready around the time he finished his workout.

Dunn strode into the galley and stood there staring at him breathlessly, hands on hips. Jet groaned inwardly. "Dinner's almost ready. Give me fifteen more minutes."

"Do you have any idea what you have with you on your ship?"

Sigh, "I expect you're gonna tell me."

"Your partner. He's syndicate."

Jet didn't pause in tossing the contents of the wok. "What makes you think that?"

She crossed her arms, tapping her foot, "Several months ago, I was working on a case about a gang that was peripherally involved with a Martian syndicate, the Red Dragon. I know you've heard of them." Oh shit. "During the course of my investigation, I found a confidential file in a personal folder regarding an individual who was one of their top enforcers. Saw his picture just before it got deleted. He was a particularly brutal, cold-blooded son of a bitch."

"And you think that enforcer is my partner?"

"I KNOW he is. I never forget a face. He's Sp…"

"You know what? I don't need to know," he interrupted.

"You KNOW you have a Red Dragon enforcer on board your ship? You're calling him your partner?"

"I knew he used to be an enforcer when I picked him up, yes. He broke up a bar fight and I could tell what he was by the way he handled himself."  
Jet set the wok aside, turning off the burner. He turned and faced Dunn, folding his arms. "Tell me, what happened to the enforcer you saw in that file."

"Supposedly he died in an ambush six months ago. I can see that belief is mistaken."

"There's no mistake. That enforcer died six months ago. My partner is not that person."  
Jet was sickened. He'd seen his partner's heart, how he put himself at risk and passed up income to help someone out. To save their life. Spike took care of him when he himself was hurt. This person he had on his ship was a self-sacrificing individual who, even though he wouldn't talk about himself, cared enough about others that he put his own interests aside. He wouldn't say, but Jet was convinced that memories of his past in the syndicate caused him a great deal of pain.

Dunn opened her mouth to argue but Jet cut her off angrily. "Listen. This is MY ship and it's his home. The kid deserves a second chance. I like him. I respect him. I trust him. As long as you are on board my ship you will treat him with respect, and you are not to mention any of this to him, got that?"

Dinner was ready but Jet was no longer hungry. The food was divided up amongst the three plates and Jet handed one of the plates and a fork to Dunn, then grabbed some chopsticks and took the other two plates out to the living area. "Spike! Dinner."

"Be right there!"

Dunn didn't wait, she dug right in and found the food to be quite tasty. Spike trotted down the stairs replacing the sling that supported his arm, clad in sweat pants and a towel draped over his neck. Dunn then lost HER appetite too.

Thanking Jet, Spike picked up plate and chopsticks and plowed into his dinner. He was halfway finished when he noted the sour atmosphere in the room. Jet was sullenly picking at his dinner and Dunn was paying close attention to the contents of her fork. What the hell happened? He polished off the food on his plate and set it down on the table. With a sigh, Jet handed Spike his plate.

"You're not hungry? Don't you want it?" Jet shook his head, you eat it.

With disgust, Dunn furtively watched the enforcer finishing up his friend's meal. Enforcers. Yeah, they're your best friend until they kill you. This one was still quite young and he didn't LOOK dangerous — in fact, he looked more like a child than anything else. Looks can be deceiving she sniffed.

Dinner finished, Spike took the plates and utensils into the galley to wash them up, then hit the shower.

***

Jet retreated to the bridge, trying to figure out what he was thinking when he agreed to give Dunn the ride in the first place. Yeah, they needed the money, but why wouldn't she take commercial transport? Ghaaaaahhh.

He lit a cigarette and stared morosely out the window, ruminating. A panel beeped, grabbing Jet's attention. Putting his feet down, he peered at the proximity alert screen. There was an entry noting something aft of them, slightly to port. But it was gone now. Probably one more thing that needs fixing on this ship. He sighed heavily, frowning. A few minutes later, the panel beeped again. Then again.

"Hey Spike, get up here."

Spike was in the living area with one of the books that Simmons had given them. Some of them he'd already read, but this one was new to him. Dunn was sitting across from him with a notebook, reading some notes. Spike cast the occasional glance at her, catching her looking away from him. Geeze, what IS it with this broad? Stiff, cold and weird she is. He tried to remember if Jet said she was a friend of his, but no, just that he knew her. That's a relief!  
Jet called him up to the bridge and he gladly left the ice queen to her notes. "What's up?"

"Get on the radar and check behind us. Aft, slightly to port."

"Ok. What am I looking for?"

"I don't know."

Spike cocked an eyebrow at him "Well, the screen IS a pretty color. I don't mind staring at it for a while."

Jet told him about the entries in the proximity alert system. It's like something would appear just within range then vanish. "It's been doing this for the last half hour." Spike settled himself behind Jet at the radar screen, checking the edges. He lit a cigarette.

"You know this person well? This Dunn?"

"Not really. I've had to work with her on occasion, but I don't know her at all well. Thankfully!"

Spike nodded "She's quite the bitch. What's her problem?"

Jet scowled "Did she say anything to you?"

"About what?"

"Well, anything."

Shrug "Not a word. Fine by me."

His eyes caught the faintest glimmer at the edge of the screen, which disappeared almost immediately. At the same time, Jet's proximity screen beeped.

"Ok, it's not the proximity sensors that's broken. HMMMMM"

"Want me to check it out?"

"Yeah, why don't you? It's probably nothing, but we can't tell anything from these instruments. You gonna be ok to fly with that arm?"

"Yeah, no problem."

Jet waited while Spike boarded the Swordfish. He opened the barn door and released the hold on the speeder. Spike eased his craft out of the landing bay, the folded wings deployed, then he sped off.

Ignoring the pain in his wounded arm, he looped the Swordfish around, and headed back through hyperspace towards the source of the anomaly. His own scanners were checking for objects. He hadn't gotten too far when he saw it, a small craft on their tail. His onboard sensors examined it. No pod, no pilot. It was a drone. This is odd.

The flash from the front of the drone startled him. He banked the Swordfish, curving to the right, the missile it fired missed him and the Bebop. Fucker's FIRING on me! Baring his teeth, he swung his ship around, armed his cannon, took aim and fired. The drone disintegrated in a silent fireball.

"Hey Jet"

"Yeah. Did you find it?"

"Yep, drone. It fired on me."

"WHAT???"

"I destroyed it. Gonna look around and see if there are any more that we need to be concerned about."  
He sped up and scanned the area for more drones, but no more were to be found. He continued back until a private transport came into range. There were a few ships in line behind them but no more drones. Swordfish curved around, then made haste for home.

Jet met him in the corridor outside the landing bay. Spike was frowning as he replaced the sling and rubbed his sore arm.

"Did you see anything else out there?"

"A private transport is behind us at almost twice standard distance. There were ships behind that. Only the one drone."

They considered the implications. "Ever see anything like that before?" Jet asked him.

"Not exactly. The larger syndicates sometimes use drones. Governments too. Police. Military. I didn't see any markings on this one, so who knows?"

"Golden Asp, you think?"

They dismissed that possibility. A new syndicate just starting out wouldn't have the funds for something like that. Unless they were being financed by something larger…

"I'm going to bed."

The bounty hunters turned at the announcement and found Dunn standing down the corridor, hands on hips. Like we CARE! Jet thought. He waved and mumbled something, and she was off.

Nobody was telling her what was going on. The enforcer was called to the bridge, then hurried out. The ship jerked slightly so she guessed he took off in that gaudy red speeder she saw in the landing bay. Now he's back and the two men had their heads together discussing something that didn't look pleasant.

She entered the quarters Jet lent her, then closed and locked the door. She double checked the contents of her suitcase then readied for bed.

A few hours later, the bounty hunters turned in. Jet laid there, staring at the ceiling trying to figure out what that drone following them could mean. Whoever was controlling it was going to great trouble to keep it outside their scanner range, but the control wasn't perfect and it was spotted. And why would it fire on a speeder approaching it in hyperspace? COULD it be the Golden Asp coming after Spike for wiping out those kids in the barn? That didn't make sense. He wasn't there long enough, and didn't talk to anyone high up enough in the hierarchy to know anything that would threaten them. And would they even know what happened or who did it?

Spike in his own quarters was lying on his side, staring at the wall. He wasn't sure but didn't believe the drone was after him. That's an awful lot of money to spend going after someone who took out bottom level, barely trained easily replaced grunts, but who can tell with some people these days? He hated the thought of having to run again, but if his presence was going to endanger Jet and the Bebop, he'd have no choice but to leave. Not gonna worry about it, but best be prepared.


	3. Chapter 3

Dunn emerged from her quarters the next morning. Sleep was a hard time coming to her the night before. She was glad they were only a few hours away from Mars and her destination. She just wanted to get to New Beijing and get away from the enforcer that idiot Jet had living with him. She was so close to being finished with all this mess she had to deal with.  Then she can relax.

She dressed and hunted down the bathroom. She could hear someone moving about the galley, that would probably be Jet. She found the door she was looking for, but it was closed. She waited. Shortly, it opened and that enforcer came waltzing out. He just gave her a blasé glance as he headed off to whatever business he had to do.

Jet was in the galley preparing breakfast. He looked like he hadn't slept much either.

"How long till we reach Mars?" she asked.  
  
"Seven hours. Then another hour to New Beijing."  
  
"What happened last night? Where did the enforcer go and what were you guys talking about?"

Jet sighed irritably and debated telling her about the drone. She IS ISSP, which in his mind meant she couldn't be trusted. So many were in league with the syndicates it was hard to tell who was honest any more.

He told her about the blips on the scanner and Spike checking it out to find a drone that fired on him. He destroyed it and came back when he didn't see any more. "We were wondering whose drone it was and why was it following us. It looked like they were trying to stay out of our scanner range, but didn't quite pull it off."

Dunn' eyes widened, thinking furiously. "SHIT!"  
  
"What?"

She sighed, "I presume you want me to keep my mouth shut about your partner. Right?"  
  
"Yes. I don't think that's too much to ask."  
  
"Ok. I'll make a deal with you. I'll keep your secret if you keep mine. In fact, it looks like I may be needing your help beyond just passage to Mars."  
  
Surprised, Jet agreed. "What's going on?"

Dunn looked around. The enforcer was sitting on the couch, book in hand.  She thought furiously about what she would tell Jet.

"Ok. I've been investigating a syndicate that's starting up on Europa that's allied with and being supported by the Blue Turtle. They call themselves 'Golden Asp.' There are people in the ISSP leadership on Europa who know of this and are actively helping them. I have evidence of their complicity and I'm taking it to a magistrate on Mars for action. He's expecting me."  
  
"You can trust this magistrate?"  
  
"Yes, I believe so. Chan Lao has always been tough on the syndicates and as far as I know they haven't been able to buy him. The man's already independently wealthy.  I have reason to believe they're on to me, that's why I couldn't take public transport. All the space ports are being watched. I had a lucky break a few days ago when Golden Asp lost a number of their recruits in a barn fire. Golden Asp is regrouping trying to figure out what went wrong which has taken SOME of the attention off of me, at least temporarily."

Jet nodded in grim satisfaction. 

"Unfortunately, it looks like not ALL their attention has been taken from me. That drone the enforcer destroyed, it has to be syndicate if it's not ISSP. They know I'm here. We're being followed."

***

 _Shit, that's all we need,_  Jet thought. "We're gonna have to tell Spike. He needs to know."  
  
"And you're SURE he can be trusted? There's a lot riding on this."  
  
"If you can trust me, you can trust him."

He finished making breakfast. Handed Dunn her plate and fork and the pot of tea with three cups hanging off of it. Taking his and Spike's plates, he headed out to the living area where Spike was sitting. His partner put the book down with a smile.

After they had eaten, Jet told Spike to hold off on the dishes. Dunn had something to say.

Spike listened as she repeated what she told Jet. She was being followed on her mission to take evidence to the magistrate on Mars. She didn't know who exactly was controlling that drone, but they were after her.

As she talked, Spike glanced now and then at his frowning partner, but otherwise showed no reaction. He lit a cigarette and blew smoke thoughtfully. "So now in addition to getting you to Mars, you're gonna need our help to get safely to magistrate Chan. Right?"  
  
"That's right."  
  
"Then what happens?"  
  
She asked him what he meant.  
  
"Well, you deliver the evidence. Are you gonna have to testify? And then what? Think you'll be able to go back to work afterwards? What's your plan?"  
  
"We've got it covered. Nobody needs to know where I'm going once this is done."

Spike shook his head and shrugged.   _She's got guts, I'll give her that._

Jet thought it would be a good time to plan strategy. Spike is wounded, so Jet will get Dunn to the magistrate and Spike can stay behind and watch their backs. Spike insisted that he was fine, didn't need the sling anyway. Jet argued that he is the one who dressed the wound and knows that it hurts and if he runs into trouble, he didn't want him having to fight until it's healed.

"What happened to you anyway?" Dunn asked him. "What happened to your arm and your face?"   
  
Spike glanced at her "Mugged." Then he looked back at Je,t "I'm fine, in fact it's almost healed."

Jet scoffed. Not after only two days. Dunn watched the bounty hunters bicker about the particulars of who was going where. Both were equally stubborn, but she had her own preference. She broke in, "Jet, let the boy take me down. It's all right, he looks like he could do it, and it looks like he has the faster ship."

Jet growled about it, then threw up his hands and agreed, Spike could escort her to the magistrate's. Dunn smiled to herself.  That drone forced a change of plans.  She is going to need their help now if she is going to pull this off, and she preferred that the enforcer take her. This is perfect.

There weren't any more proximity warnings since Spike destroyed the drone, which was encouraging. The Bebop arrived some hours later at the Martian gate and followed the course Jet was given for a water landing in New Beijing. Spike met Dunn in the living area, watching her approach down the corridor as she pocketed her communicator. 

"Jet, give me your card." She produced a fund exchanger, inserted his card, swiped hers and paid him the rest of her fare. "Once I'm at the magistrate's, I'll be fine. You boys can be on your way. Thanks for the help. " They climbed into the Swordfish and then were off.

***

Sighing, Jet headed back to the bridge to track the Swordfish. The fare she gave them wasn't much, but it will do. They were headed this way anyway and Mars wasn't that far out of the way. He picked up the Swordfish's trajectory on his scanner and watched it for any approaching aircraft.

While he waited, he started idly checking the ISSP database. What was that magistrate's name again? Chan! That's it. He punched in the name, city of New Beijing, Martian colony.    _CAN this guy be trusted?_   There it is, Magistrate Chan Lao. Born, February 2004, died October 2063. WHAT??? He died a year ago!  And he was expecting her?

Watching the Swordfish's progress, he typed his password for the restricted database he managed to keep access to and performed a search on Dunn. His eyes bulged as he read the entries. The ISSP was in the midst of an ongoing investigation of her. That WAS an ISSP drone that was following them. The operator was disciplined for firing upon a speeder that was headed its way. Jet decided finding out what she was being investigated for could wait. He ran to the landing bay, jumped into the Hammerhead and took off after them.

Spike had set his course for the magistrate's office in downtown New Beijing, but Dunn told him that they were meeting in a different location.

"Huh?"  
  
"We can't meet there in his office! What if syndicate or ISSP spies are there waiting for me? We're going to meet near the docks on Oceanside."  
  
Spike was irritated now. That made sense,  _but why wait until NOW to tell me??_

He adjusted his course to head to the docks when his communicator chimed. He answered.  
  
"Yo!"  
  
"Spike! Where are you, I'm meeting up with you."  
  
He started to answer when Dunn nudged him "We need to keep radio silence. There's no telling who is listening."  
  
Frowning, he told Jet where he was now and to follow his signal then disconnected.

Dunn was crouched in the pod with Spike, leaning elbows on his leg. He could feel her heart pounding. Spike prepared himself for anything once they got there.

"You're sure you're gonna be ok once we're there. Chan's gonna have people that can protect you?"  
  
"Everything's taken care of. Just get me there and you can go."  
  
"Whatever you say."

He located the spot where Dunn told him she wanted to be dropped off and landed. He popped open the pod and climbed out, helping her to the ground. Then he reached into his storage compartment and drew out her suitcase. Turning to hand it to her he said, "Good luck to you…"

Dunn had stepped back several paces, pulled her gun and had it pointed directly at Spike's heart, sneer on her face. "Keep your hands where I can see them! Just set the suitcase down slowly, then shove it over to me with your foot. SLOWLY."

Spike raised his hands and complied. A young man emerged from behind a loader just behind Dunn. He had his gun drawn too, pointed at him. 

Spike smiled, "You didn't TELL me there was gonna be a party. I would have baked a cake."

The newcomer covered Spike while Dunn picked up the suitcase. "You have any problems?" 

"No," she replied, "but we're going to have company any minute now."

She turned to Spike. "Too bad Jet's coming, now HE has to die too. He was a good cop. YOU, on the other hand, don't deserve to breathe the same air as the rest of us."

 _DAMN IT!_ She thought.  That drone forced a change of plans.  She just needed to be dropped off, but if they were being followed, they'd catch up to her as soon as she got off the ship.  Once she found out about the runaway enforcer on Jet's ship, she would have him take her to this remote location, make it look like a shootout gone bad and she would just disappear, presumably murdered, her body never to be found.   She wanted this enforcer dead and thought he could die then take the blame for her murder and disappearance.  But for some reason Jet decided he needed to come too.

"Come on Sarah, just do it now, we have to go," newcomer urged.  
  
"No, someone else is coming. He'll never stop hunting us down. We'll have to do them both."

They weren't taking their eyes off Spike. His own eyes shifted around looking for cover. There wasn't any where he was standing that he could get to without having a diversion. He could make a break for the water, but it was too far, he'd be dead before he got to the edge.   _Well shit._

"So what's this about?" he asked. "This guy doesn't look like a magistrate. No offense."

The newcomer laughed, "None taken."

Suddenly a shot rang out, striking the newcomer in the throat. His gun went off as he went down, bleeding. That's the diversion he needed. Pulling his own gun and firing at Dunn, he ran for the cover of a shipping container. She dived out of the way of his bullets and started firing. More shots were fired from above Spike's head, one of them striking Dunn on the arm. She dropped the gun.  Spike popped out from his cover briefly and nailed her in the leg, not wanting to kill her. Another shot rang out simultaneously from above him and caught her square in the chest. 

_What the FUCK!!_

A voice above him was calling out to him, but the man's words were drowned out by the sound of the Hammerhead landing. Jet leaped to the ground, his own weapon drawn. 

"I'M A COP, DON'T SHOOT!!" the voice was shouting. A hand was raised holding a badge. The other hand with the gun was raised as well. 

Sirens were heard approaching rapidly. Still holding gun and badge over his head, the shaggy-haired man emerged from his hiding place. "That's my backup coming. You guys are bounty hunters, right?"

***

Shortly they were surrounded by blue and red flashing lights, the sounds of people talking and radio calls filled the air. The coroner showed up with the ambulances to cart off the bodies. The cop on the scene who shot Dunn and her companion Fou was named Riggs. He had followed the speeder in his car to the dock and took up position, radioing for backup.

Riggs gave his statement to lead investigator Ju, describing the events on the dock. Notes were taken, then Ju stepped over to where Spike and Jet were standing, smoking their cigarettes.

"First off, I want to apologize for our drone operator shooting at your speeder. The operator has been disciplined. Glad you're ok, son."

Jet spoke up, "What's this all about? Dunn told us she needed a ride from Europa to Mars. Then she tells us she had information about ISSP involvement in a syndicate for the magistrate - a magistrate I just found out has been dead for more than a year."

"You're Jet Black, aren't you? ISSP?" 

Jet nodded, "I am."  

Ju pulled Jet aside to take his statement. "I've heard about you. Glad to meet you!" 

Ju jerked his chin in the direction where Dunn's body lay only a minute before. "All lies.  We've been watching her for months. She ran into some financial difficulties some six months back and started squeezing people for cash. Searching private files for  blackmail purposes, that sort of thing. A few days ago she went for the gold and took off with a load of bloody eye we were holding as evidence. She used to be a good cop. Hated the syndicates and everything associated with them with a passion. A very motivated investigator." He sighe,d "Then she goes and starts acting like a one woman syndicate herself. Go figure."

Ju lit a cigarette and continued, "We saw her account searching the landing authority's database where she found that your ship was in orbit and that you were headed to Wexfordshire. She thought she shook off her tail when she got there, but she was observed getting into your mono craft to go back to your ship.  We were keeping tabs on you from a safe distance after the drone was destroyed. When the speeder took off, we followed, hoping to catch her."

Spike waited by the Swordfish while the cops took Jet's statement, thinking about Jet's and Dunn's behavior on the ship and what she said to him before the shooting started - words he had heard before from Jet a little over a month ago.   He was just stubbing out his third cigarette when Jet was finally released. 

Neither one spoke for several moments.

"So Jet. What did she say to you?"  
  
"Hmmm? When?"  
  
"Back on the ship. Did she say anything to you about me?"

Sighing, Jet ran his hand over his head then lit a cigarette.   _He deserves to know._   "She said she saw a confidential file in someone's personal folder with references to a closed case, said it had your picture. She knew you were Red Dragon."

Spike was watching him. "And?"  
  
"And nothing. I cut her off, didn't want to hear it. I already knew what you told me. Anything more, you're going to have to tell me yourself."  
  
"Thanks" he said, smiling faintly.

Jet looked up to the sky. "I don't feel like cooking. Wanna grab a bite and maybe a few drinks before we head to the asteroid belt?"  
  
"You lead, I'll follow."

The bounty hunters boarded their mono crafts and took off into the evening in search of dinner.

 

 


End file.
